‘New England’ Cricketers Face Toughest Test

England’s prospects going into The Ashes, starting July 8, look a lot better than they did a few months ago—but that still doesn’t mean they look good. Australia hasn’t won a series in England since 2001, but it has managed two 5-0 home whitewashes during that period, one of them finishing just 18 months ago, and that series decisively swung what had been a delicate balance of Test power between the two sides in Australia’s favor.

Six of the England 11 that walked out for the final game of that whitewash, at Sydney, will do...